Visiting the Sierra de las Nieves National Park
The Sierra de las Nieves National Park is located in the hills behind Marbella and to the east of the Costa del Sol. It covers an area of 30km by 20km (around 18,530 hectares) and centres on Mount Torrecilla (1909m above sea level).
The park was declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1995 and has to be one of the finest destinations for walkers in Aldalucia thanks to the rich variety of wildlife, flora and fauna as well as the vast choice in walks to do in many directions and at different grades of difficulty. There are signs for different routes (and their distance) all over the place so it’s difficult to get lost and a great place to explore.
The park is stooped in history and used to play host to highwaymen and outlaws believe it or not. When you walk around the park you’ll no doubt stumble upon one of the “pueblos blancos” (White Villages) or serranos “high lands”, which are very traditional villages still inhabited today. Check out Istan, Monda and Yunquera.
If you get chance, also check out “Ronda la Vieja” (the Old Ronda) which was founded by the Romans and now hails as an important archaeological ruin.
Keep your eyes out for the extremely rare Egyptian mongoose, a member of the mongoose family that can only be found in the park. Also the Spanish ibex, Wild Cat, Red Fox, Golden Eagle and Bonelli Eagle are natural residents to look out for.